Economics
Much of Somalia’s economy is based on livestock, and the camel trade still forms a big part of people’s lives here. Every week in Hargeisa, there is a large camel & livestock market that draws throngs of people.
Viewing entries in
Somaliland
Losing their land
Ahmed Isse and Abdi Youssef Hussein are farmers in Somaliland’s rural Gabiley region. Concern Worldwide came out to discuss with households here their needs, and to find out more about how these people live. Whilst walking around their land, staff were surprised at the techniques that these farmers used to maximise water use, and reduce erosion in their fragile soils. Traditional methods can be very effective.
But at the edge of their agricultural land, disaster is creeping closer. Fields of sorghum suddenly give way to a small canyon, as the land has collapsed due to soil erosion. Cracks are spreading closer to the fields, and farmers here fear that they will lose more of their land.
It is issues like this that Concern’s livelihood teams can help to prevent, and the reason for our visit today.
Somali(land)
Somaliland. Not really a country, but certainly not Somalia.
The self-governing state declared independence almost twenty years ago, they have their own, democratically elected government, but they are still awaiting international recognition.
Whilst many NGOs cannot operate in South Central Somalia, they aren’t shy about moving into Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital.
I’m here for a few days, documenting some of Concern Worldwide’s work here, as they open up a new office. They’ve been in Somalia proper for nearly 25 years, and are expanding northwards.